


Where the Heart Is

by neuralhandshake (bonk)



Category: DC Comics, DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-05
Updated: 2013-09-05
Packaged: 2017-12-25 16:43:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/955407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bonk/pseuds/neuralhandshake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gotham was the only partner she never let down.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Where the Heart Is

Renee thinks of all the nights she's spent sitting on these rooftops. Every step she's worn into the soles of her boots on Gotham streets. She'd make her way up here, above the city, to clear her mind from all of the goings-on spread across the streets below.

Her feet were slung over the edge, heels scuffing against the bricks every time she lazily swung her legs. The apartment building climbed high enough into the sky above the Upper East Side that she could see across miles of Gotham below. To her right, Miller Harbor. Beyond that, the steady flow of traffic on the Aparo Expressway. Even further and she could see the Sound giving way to the ocean.

Renee always saw beauty in Gotham where most only saw the dirt and grime. But up here it would be hard for anyone to deny it was a beautiful sight. Nighttime was more than just a mask for the citizens of the city--it was a mask for the city itself. At night, every imperfection was hidden in the shadows. The remaining scars from the devestating earthquake and the destruction of the city that followed, the graffiti, the homeless, the burned out buildings and grime-covered streets--none of that was visible. Only the picturesque facade of a city in silhouette feigning an appearance of being All-American. A city anyone would be proud of.

In many ways, Renee saw herself in Gotham, too. Her loyalty was fierce and unwavering. She'd fought for the city for most of her life and stayed when others left. She fought behind a badge, behind a mask. And now that all of that was gone... well, she wasn't really going anywhere. She couldn't really go anywhere. Gotham was magnetic and had her hold on Renee. Even with the lighthouse being a place she could call home, a safe place, she knew she never would. The lighthouse was like a posh hotel to her. The fit was off. Lately, she'd lost her head among the ghosts there. She came back to Gotham to clear it.

And while Gotham had her own ghosts, at least their scars weren't as fresh. Every day at the lighthouse reminded her of places she'd never fit right in the eyes of others. Behind the mask. In Kate's arms. At Dee's side. She'd considered herself a failure in multiple regards; to Cris. To Vic. To Elicia. Here, those ghosts remained--but she was in Gotham. 

Somehow, that at least made everything a little better.

Above the city on this rooftop, she'd fallen into a regular routine. Instead of a nighttime beat with a badge or a mask, she'd sit and watch the city as an observer. Her mind would race through the conditioned thoughts, the process that would always stay with her. She'd watch boats, looking for signs they were carrying drugs or weapons or maybe both. She'd scan the streets, telling herself she was looking for crime, but knowing she was really looking for a cape and a mask, a flash of yellow or purple or gold or green or red.

Old habits.

She breathed a sigh.

"I've got every movie in the world on Blu-Ray and you're sitting up here on the roof, again, in the cold." Helena's voice cut through the air, stepping into the motions of their routine. Every time she was on the roof, Helena would see if she could go undetected before disturbing her. Renee played the same game, sometimes, but Helena always had her beat. Renee always joked it was because Helena spent so much time hiding from the Batman whenever he was upset with her.

Renee wasn't entirely joking.

Renee turned her head, catching Helena's eye and the glint of the wine glass in her hand. "Done grading papers already?"

"No, but I'm three wine glasses in," she answered with a shrug. "The rest of them are getting A's."

Renee laughed, tossing a smile before patting the ledge with a hand and indicating toward her friend. "Come on and sit," she instructed. "Those Blu-Rays aren't going anywhere."

"Not unless I sell them all to cover someone's half of the rent." Though Helena teased, she slid next to Renee anyway, sipping from the glass of wine and looking into the distance. Renee considered throwing a remark back, but she was grateful, really--too grateful to not take the joke. Helena was all class and professionalism and easily talked her way back into a job as a teacher, transitioning out of the mask fairly well after things changed and neither of them were priority names. The streets were too crowded in Gotham. Call back later.

Renee was stuck sitting on rooftops, trying to find her place again. She was considering falling back into step with the private investigator business, maybe starting a dojo, maybe making instructional videos. She always sucked at being unemployed and it was nearing two years, but Helena was patient and kind and at this point probably only kept her around because there were a lot of Blu-Rays in her apartment and let's face it, someone had to help her solve the crimes in all of those drama shows before the detectives could do so themselves.

"What do you see?" Renee asked of her, nodding her head toward Gotham. It was a serious question.

"Pollution. Crime. Filth. Homelessness. People that need saving." Helena answered in the same serious tone. Raising an eyebrow before tilting her head toward Renee. "If I could give it a name, I'd call it Renee Montoya."

At this point, Helena laughed. Renee did, too, throwing a gentle punch into Helena's arm. It was enough to likely knock a lesser person off balance, but this was Helena Bertinelli. Even with a wine glass in one hand, sitting on a ledge, she stayed upright. Things like this were what her training was good for, now.

Once they recovered, Helena tossed the question back. "And what do you see?" Helena asked.

Renee was silent for a few moments, contemplating. She watched lights trail in the distance, the wail of police sirens. Finally, she looked at Helena, a small smile on her lips.

"Home."


End file.
